Graphics aren’t everything when it comes to videogames, but
blimey, are they nice to gawp at. Indeed, every console throughout
history–be it the Super Nintendo or the PlayStation 2–had its fair share
of exclusive jaw-droppers, those triple-A juggernauts that salivating
fan boys love to wax lyrically about to show off the graphical prowess
of their shiny new telly box. As you’d expect, Sony’s PlayStation 3 is
no different. Sure, you might have heard horror stories about how the
console’s fiddly architecture has made it a right bugger to programme
for, but those days seem to be firmly behind us now. After all, a
console is like a carton of Ribena; the more you squeeze it, the more
you get out of it, and the last couple of years have seen developers
doing just that.
While multiplatform games continue to look better and better on
Sony’s machine, it’s the console-exclusives that really push the boat
out when it comes to graphical flare, and this is where PS3 can flex the
big guns. Titles like Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and
Heavy Rain have already delivered some eyeball-popping spectacles on the
visual front, and the trend looks set to continue for the foreseeable
future as we tuck into the likes of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and
Resistance 3. As such, and with PS3 set to turn five years-old this
November, PSU decided to single out the five of the best looking
exclusives titles available on the platform to date.
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METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS
Hideo Kojima’s stealth-action outing released back in June 2008, though
it was a visual showcase for PS3 as far back as 2005 when it made its
debut at the Tokyo Game Show. And, while the footage shown off at the
Japanese trade show wasn’t an authentic representation of what we
actually got to play, the final product was still pretty darn close.
MGS4’s colourful cast in particular are meticulously realised, eschewing
much of the fidgety, unrealistic animation of past-generation
iterations in favour of smooth, slick and – in Naomi’s case – sexy
character models. In fact, they’re so detailed, that you can make out
every crease (or in Snake’s case, wrinkle) on their forms, which truly
shine in the meaty cut scenes. Likewise, the environments are equally
impressive, whether it be the dilapidated and dusty warzones of the
Middle East or the foggy streets of Eastern Europe. Sure, it’s not true
HD, but when you’re an old git like Snake and can still be considered
eye candy, it doesn’t matter.
HEAVY RAIN
Quantic Dream’s acclaimed thriller was always going to be an eye-opener,
and, even though games like L.A. Noire have taken facial animation to
the next level with MotionScan, Heavy Rain still features some of the
best-looking guys and gals on PS3. In a game that champion’s emotion
like Killzone 3 does headshots, Heavy Rain’s intricately crafted visuals
really help to sell the human qualities of the game’s multiple
protagonists, pulling on your heart strings as Ethan Mars succumbs to
despair after losing his son and instilling a knot of disgust in your
stomach as a creepy nightclub owner forces Madison into a strip tease at
gunpoint. And, while the performances of the cast are instrumental in
selling a believable story, it’s the subtleties that really seal the
deal, be it a quick flash of optimism across someone’s features, or an
incredulous raise of the eyebrow. More than anything though, Heavy Rain
doesn’t sugar coat anything; it’s a depiction of everyday life, with
characters evoking a raw and realistic edge that too many games are only
too quick to tart up and air brush these days.
UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES
Nathan Drake’s 2009 adventure set the proverbial bar for next-generation
console visuals, let alone those on PS3. While some games excel in one
area and are conspicuously lacking in others, Uncharted 2 is a visual
spectacle from start to finish, be it the colourful cast or the war torn
streets of Nepal. Cheeky chappie Drake is wonderfully animated,
stumbling precariously when he lands a tricky jump and gritting his
teeth as he unleashes lead hell upon a gaggle of gun-toting goons. Same
goes for the supporting cast, too. For example, when Elena’s poor mate
Jeff is mercilessly dispatched by bald baddie Zoran Lazarveric, you can
practically feel the knot of dread that punches her in the gut thanks to
some stellar facial animation work. Environments are chock full of
detail, whether you are barrelling through the lush vegetation of Borneo
or leaving footprints on the snow-drenched mountains of Alaska. Among
Thieves also features some of the flashiest particle effects around;
fire crackles and sends shadows dancing around the room, while water
sparkles in the sunlight, undulating realistically as you wade through
it. The shiny, polished aesthetics really come into play in the mammoth
set pieces, as choppers swoop overhead pepping your cover point with
lead and whole train carriages tumble off the tracks in a shower of
metal and flame. And the best part? It’s all locked down at a blistering
60fps.
GOD OF WAR III
The God of War series is no stranger to strutting its stuff when it
comes to visual prowess; after all, the acclaimed actioner stretched
PlayStation 2 to its limits with 2007’s God of War II, and pushed PSP to
breaking point with Ghost of Sparta. As such, I don’t think any of us
expected anything less from Kratos’ third console outing, which hit PS3
in 2010. Aesthetically, the game is an absolute diamond, both in terms
of the sharpness of the graphics to the sheer scale of what’s on offer.
Baldy looks bloody brilliant (both literally and figuratively in Kratos’
case, given the amount of claret he soaks up during the game), with
bulging biceps and ripped abs glistening amongst some of the best
lighting effects on PS3. Likewise, locations are brimming with detail,
and as mentioned the scale of God of War III’s battlegrounds are
jaw-dropping, and are highly complemented by the equally epic boss
battles. And, while there are some minor inconsistencies – some
characters aren’t quite as eye-candy as Kratos for example – overall the
game, just like its perpetually pissed-off protagonist, is an absolute
beast.
KILLZONE 3
Like God of War, Guerrilla Games’ sci-fi blaster has consistently
remained a visual showcase for the PlayStation brand, be it the original
PS2 outing or 2009’s Killzone 2, which at the time was among one of the
prettiest console games of its time. Despite this, the chaps at
Guerrilla still managed to somehow up the ante for the inevitable
follow-up, with Killzone 3 standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of
the best looking games on Sony’s black behemoth. Environments are
rendered in lavish detail, be blood-soaked pavements of war-ravaged
urban locales to the snow-coated industrial complex, all of which are
accentuated by the eye-popping lighting and weather effects. Likewise,
the characters themselves look fantastic, with chisel-jawed marines and
glowing-eyed Helghast alike coming to life thanks to some
immaculately-crafted motion capture technology. If that wasn’t enough,
Killzone 3’s visual spectacle is greatly bolstered by the addition of 3D
support, and if there ever was a reason to convince your mates they
need to splash out on a swanky 3D TV, then this is a game that’s
guaranteed to floor some jaws.
What games do you feel flexes the PS3’s graphical muscle to its limits? Let us know in the comments section below.
